April 9, 2014 Pierre Poilievre and Thomas Mulcair debate the Fair Elections Act

• Report rights infringement
• published: 14 Apr 2014
• views: 1616

Like me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/pierrepoilievremp Follow me on Twitter: www.twitter.com/pierrepoilievre Subscribe to my channel: www.youtube.com/pierrepoilievremp --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hon. Thomas Mulcair (Leader of the Opposition, NDP): Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister has just said that he is hoping that members on both sides would listen to Canadians. For three months, we have been asking him to do just that. Does that mean that he now accepts to hold hearings on his unfair elections act across Canada, like we have been asking for? Hon. Pierre Poilievre (Minister of State (Democratic Reform), CPC): Mr. Speaker, Canadians have been telling us that they think it is reasonable to present identification when one casts a ballot. We understand that not everyone has photo ID. That is why there are 39 different forms of acceptable ID. If Canadians provide those identifications, then they would be able to cast their ballot in the next election. This is reasonable. It is a vast and comprehensive list that should provide every Canadian with the ability to identify themselves when they cast their ballot. This is reasonable and Canadians support it. Hon. Thomas Mulcair (Leader of the Opposition, NDP): Mr. Speaker, actually, it was the Prime Minister who just made that statement in answer to the member for Papineau. We are addressing ourselves to the Prime Minister, who is the only one who can give the answer. We have been asking for public hearings on the bill since day one. He just said, word for word, that he is asking members on both sides of the House to go out and listen to Canadians on the bill. Is he willing to hold parliamentary hearings on this across Canada? Yes or no? Hon. Pierre Poilievre (Minister of State (Democratic Reform), CPC): Mr. Speaker, members of our caucus listen to their constituents every single day. If the leader of the NDP were doing the same, he would understand that the average Canadian believes it is completely reasonable to bring some form of identification to show who they are when they cast their ballot. One has to present ID to cross the border, to buy alcohol, to rent a car, to board an airplane, and to do a whole series of basic things that Canadians do all the time. We think it is reasonable that they do the same when they vote. Hon. Thomas Mulcair (Leader of the Opposition, NDP): Mr. Speaker, that minister has said that parliamentary committee hearings to listen to Canadians are an expensive circus. It is the Prime Minister who just said, word for word, in this House, that he wants members on both sides to go out and listen to Canadians. Why is talking out of both sides of his mouth? On one side he says to listen to Canadians; on another side he stands this lightweight to give his answers for him. The Speaker: Order. I have asked hon. members before, and I will do so again, not to make personal allegations of our colleagues. Is the hon. minister rising to answer? Hon. Pierre Poilievre (Minister of State (Democratic Reform), CPC): Mr. Speaker, the member talks about parliamentary committees. I think all of us look forward to the day when he will finally arrive at a parliamentary committee to explain how he took from taxpayers that which did not belong to him. In the meantime, we will continue to stand up for a fair and reasonable elections act that requires people to provide ID, that gives independent investigations, that requires mass calls to be registered, and that brings in new penalties against fraud at election time. This is fair. This is reasonable. We stand by it. Hon. Thomas Mulcair (Leader of the Opposition, NDP): Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister just said that people can use Indian status cards to vote. Since that is completely untrue, can he tell us who gave him that false information? Hon. Pierre Poilievre (Minister of State (Democratic Reform), CPC): Mr. Speaker, there are 39 different forms of identification that Elections Canada authorizes so that people can establish their status as an eligible voter. One of them is a certificate of Indian status card, which is the sixth on the list. There is also an attestation of residence issued by a responsible authority of a first nations band or reserve. Those are lots of options. Hon. Thomas Mulcair (Leader of the Opposition, NDP): Actually, Mr. Speaker, contrary to what the Prime Minister just said, the address does not appear on that card, and most of the people in question do not even possess one. Does the Prime Minister understand that even if one has a social insurance card, a credit card, a health insurance card, a birth certificate, and a passport, one still cannot vote because the address is on none of those?